About the Ashbrook Academy

Dr. Chris Burkett leading a discussion during the 2015 Ashbrook Academy.

The Ashbrook Academy is a summer program designed for rising high school juniors and seniors who share a deep interest in U.S. History and Politics. Unlike other courses or programs that tend to erode young Americans’ confidence and proper pride in their country by emphasizing its historical failures, the Ashbrook Academy invites students to consider the American experiment in self-government as a historical triumph, a victory for reason and the human spirit that warrants grateful celebration but also demands serious study. We believe that America’s experiment in self-government has proven exceptional because it is rooted in a series of moral assertions that we call self-evident truths: that all human beings are created equal, that they are endowed with natural rights, and that free governments require the consent of the governed. This is the American creed; it defines who we are as a people, and it belongs to all of us.

The Academy meets for seven days (June 17-23, 2018) at the Ashbrook Center on the campus of Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. This summer we will be leading two separate academies simultaneously — one that will survey the most important questions that have faced our nation from its founding through the civil rights era and a second that will provide a more focused study of the Civil War era for more advanced students.

Telling America’s Story

During this academy, we will read and discuss dozens of interesting and crucial documents (see the Academy’s syllabus), including the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which together comprise the most elegant articulation of our creed. By the end of the program, students will have acquired a deep understanding of the fundamental principles that define and unite us as Americans. This academy provides a perfect starting point for students interested in digging deeper into American history and government through the use of original documents.

Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War

This academy, intended for more advanced students, will take participants on an in-depth exploration of perhaps the most difficult era in American history, the Civil War.

Through a thorough analysis of the writings and actions of Abraham Lincoln and others, participants in this academy will encounter and discuss the fundamental questions about America that nearly tore it apart during the 1860s. Did the Declaration of Independence promise equality for all? Was the Constitution a pro-slavery or anti-slavery document? Why did Lincoln call the idea that “all mean are created equal” a “proposition” rather than a self-evident truth? What was proven by the outcome of the Civil War?

A 2015 Academy participant

Though many of the conflicts that caused the Civil War, most notably the institution of slavery, are now resolved in American political discourse, some persist and continue to shape American politics to this day.
Participants in the Academy will receive two elective credits in Political Science from Ashland University that may either be used towards a degree at Ashland or transferred to another institution. The Academy costs $750 which covers all instruction materials, the college credit, room and board (including all meals), transportation to and from a local airport (if necessary), and all daily activities. All participants will be housed in air-conditioned double-occupancy dormitories on the campus of Ashland University. Male and female participants will be housed on separate floors.

To apply for the Ashbrook Academy, click here and fill out our online application. As part of the application, you will be asked to write a brief essay explaining your interest in the Academy. A letter of recommendation from someone who knows you academically is also required.

Rolling admission to the Academy begins on January 1, 2017 and ends on May 1, 2017. All applicants will be notified of their application status by May 15, 2017.

About the Ashbrook Academy

The Ashbrook Academy is a summer program designed for rising high school juniors and seniors who share a deep interest in American history and politics. Unlike other courses or programs that tend to erode young Americans’ proper pride in their country by emphasizing its historical failures, the Academy invites students to consider the American experiment as a historical triumph, a victory for reason and the human spirit that warrants grateful celebration but also demands serious study. We welcome your participation.

The Academy meets for seven days (June 17-23, 2018) at the Ashbrook Center on the campus of Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio immersing participants in a deep study of the biggest challenges that have faced our Republic. This summer we will be holding two separate academies simultaneously – one that will survey the most important questions that have faced our nation from its founding to the civil rights era and a second that will provide a more focused study on the Civil War era for more advanced students.

The Ashbrook Academy takes history out of textbooks and into your life. By the end of the program, students will have acquired a deep understanding of the fundamental principles that define and unite us as Americans.